Intakt CD 062

The drummer and composer Pierre Favre presents new compositions after his last release, Singing Drums (Intakt CD 049). For this release, this «poet of the drums» has extended his quartet «Singing Drums» to an octet with a guitar, viola, violin and bass.
Pierre Favre unfolds his compositions into tonal spaces, rich in contrast, using his percussion arsenal and a fragile string trio. He thus offers the soloists Roberto Ottaviano (soprano saxophone) and Michel Godard (tuba/serpent) many possibilities for their fantastic excursions. Several of the themes give off a breath of melancholy, others are dance-like, where the rhythm follows the melody in complex lines. «Cheerfulness and sadness weave together like in real life,» says Pierre Favre in the liner notes. «One cries in laughter and one laughs in tears.»


Pierre Favre is not only one of the most musically minded freelance drummers in modern jazz yet also leads the charmingly inventive quartet known as 'Singing Drums'. And with his latest endeavor titled European Chamber Ensemble, the maestro extends his quartet with the addition of a dual string section, guitar and bass. Favre and fellow percussionist Lucas Niggli steer the octet through a series of thoroughly memorable pieces that serve as paradigms for predominately contrasting elements. Yet the leader's visions once again are put to realization through the musician's sympathetic passages and expertly articulated soloing. On 'Amarcord D' Un Ross', the percussionists surge onward via booming patterns and suspenseful developments! However, the strings pronounce a lofty presence with sonorous melodies amid tuba master Michel Godard's pumping lines as the musicians skirt chamber-like austerity while melding propulsive rhythms along with various discourses and frenzied modern jazz style mayhem. Basically, the band takes the listener to forbidden regions as a sense of mystery or drama prevails atop the often-fertile undercurrents, intricately executed rhythms, poignant choruses and free-style improvisation. Hence, vigor and cunning interplay along with sprightly call and response dialogue by electric guitarist Philipp Schaufelberger and saxophonist Roberto Ottaviano also mark this deeply stylized presentation, brimming with stately themes and lucid explorations. All in all, Pierre Favre's European Chamber Ensemble is a momentous achievement. - A top pick for 2000! * * * * *
Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz, Jan 2001